"He was looking for someone today," Martinez said. "I never say no to money."

For Martinez, clearing leaves on the hotel's grounds was also a chance to spend time outdoors on a cool but comfortable fall day.

For the hotel, it was part of getting ready for the holidays. On Monday, after the long Thanksgiving weekend, staff pulled out Christmas tree ornaments and lights for holiday decorations and began to prepare for a United Way event held Thursday night.

The Chesterfield, built as a private home in the early 1860s, recently went through a renovation after Tom Rich, chief executive officer of F.D. Rich Co., bought it in 2008.

Now the hotel, in the middle of a residential neighborhood on Shippan Avenue, is playing host to fundraisers, holiday parties and local families' guests in its nine rooms.

On Wednesday, staff members continued their bustle after being surprised by short-term guests -- a pair of journalists.

Stephanie Pelletier, the vice president of marketing, displayed original art pieces picked out by Rich during the renovation, pointed out chairs stacked up ready for placement in the ballroom -- where a yoga class had been held that morning -- and showed a breakfast room that was ready for guests.

While the deep-cleaning continued inside and the leaf-blowing continued outside, Pelletier stopped to contemplate stuffed penguins on a hallway table.

"I wish you guys had come yesterday," she told a reporter. "We just took the penguins out of the box."